Tag: MST

Peace Corps is known for its 3-month Community-Based Training at the beginning of a volunteer’s service. Sometimes people forget that there are other conferences, trainings, and workshops available throughout one’s service.

Every volunteer, no matter the country nor sector must attend the following:

CBT or Community Based Training: Scheduled the first 10 weeks to 3 months in country. This training includes language, cultural, and technical support.

IST or In-Service Training: Scheduled after that staging group’s 3rd month in site. This training consists of additional cultural and technical support that wasn’t covered during CBT. After this training, volunteers are allowed to travel out of site and can take vacation days if they wish.

MST or Mid-Service Training: Scheduled around that group’s swearing in date but could be delayed by 2 months. At this training, volunteers will have their annual medical and dental evaluations. This training will focus on the reflection of your 1st year of service and help you think about your 2nd-year plans.

COS or Close of Service Conference: Scheduled 3 months before your end of service. At this conference you apply for/receive your official leave date, reflect on your 2 years of service and prepare for life as an RPCV.

Each country and sector will have other workshops and training that are more specific to the service of the volunteer. I have been to the following: IFY Passport to Success Training, Amazigh Language Training, Regional Meeting, and Thanksgiving/Get Flu Shot Dinner.

Others available that I did not attend include the Library Workshop, Health Workshop, PP&D Workshop, Wellness Retreat, Gender, and Development Training, etc.

Without further adieu, here is a sample day in the life of one of these types of events in Peace Corps Morocco. This schedule is part of the COS Conference for Staj 96 2014-2016 (my group).